VALPARAISO. 281 
It is dark and fine, but restless; it never seemed to fix for above a 
moment, but that moment expressed every thing. His countenance 
is decidedly handsome, sparkling, and intelligent ; but not open. His 
manner of speaking quick, but often obscure, with a few tricks and 
by-words ; but a great flow of language, and a readiness to talk on 
all subjects. 
I am not fond of recording even the topics of private conversation, 
which I think ought always to be sacred. But San Martin is not a 
private man; and besides, the subjects were general, not personal. 
We spoke of government; and there I think his ideas are far from 
being either clear or decisive.” There seems a timidity of intellect, 
which prevents the daring to give freedom and the daring to be des- 
potic alike. The wish to enjoy the reputation of a liberator and the 
will to be a tyrant are strangely contrasted in his discourse. He has 
not read much, nor is his genius of that stamp that can go alone. 
Accordingly, he continually quoted authors whom he evidently knew 
but by halves, and of the half he knew he appeared to me to mistake 
the spirit. When we spoke of religion, and Zenteno joined in the 
discourse, he talked much of philosophy ; and both those gentlemen 
seemed to think that philosophy consisted in leaving religion to the 
priests and to the vulgar, as a state-machine, while the wise man 
would laugh alike at the monk, the protestant, and the deist. Well 
does Bacon say, “ None deny there is a God but those for whom it 
maketh that there were no God;” and truly, when Iconsider his actions, 
I feel that he should be an atheist if he would avoid despair. But 
I am probably too severe on San Martin. His natural shrewd sense 
must have led him to perceive the absurdity of the Roman Catholic 
superstitions, which here are naked in their ugliness, not glossed 
over with the pomp and elegance of Italy ; and which from state 
policy he has often joined in with all outward demonstrations of 
respect : and it has been observed, that “ The Roman Catholic 
system is shaken off with much greater difficulty than those which 
are taught in the reformed churches; but when it loses its hold of 
the mind, it much more frequently prepares the way for unlimited 
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